I feel like I’ve posted about Eleanor more than enough: first that it’s not related Helen, despite everyone’s hopes that it is; then, that it might be related to Helen after all; then, Sara (DMNES expert) said it’s actually unlikely to be related to Helen … this name! It’s being kind of a pain!

Lisa emailed me today with a pretty great piece of info though:

“… a couple of weeks ago I was reading about Bl. Archangela Girlani (had never heard of her except from the book I’m reading- The Incorruptibles) whose birth name was Eleanor (I also saw it spelled Elanor) … I was thinking maybe that could be a saint association if people are looking for one — sort of like how St. Teresa Benedicta and Edith Stein are both used/ kind of interchangeable or JPII and Karol? She’s not a modern saint but in the book I’m reading it was mentioned that they exhumed her remains again in the 1960s and her body was still incorrupt — definitely a stretch but it’s a little bit of a modern connection.”

Yes yes yes! I love it! I would absolutely agree that Eleanor can have Bl. Archangela as a patron! (Side note: Archangela! Love it!)

I feel like there are some that would still really love the Eleanor-Helen connection, and I’m still feeling like it’s possible (not in a “yes, they’re etymologically related” way, but more a “it’s not uncommon to find Eleanor used in honor of a Helen” kind of way), but for those who just love Eleanor and want a saintly connection and might have previously looked to Helen because it seemed the obvious choice, Bl. Archangela might be really perfect!

Thanks to Lisa for this great tidbit! (Also? I LOVE The Incorruptibles! I used to pore over it in utter fascination when I was growing up. Catholics have the coolest stuff.)